


A person who thinks all the time (Has nothing to think about except thoughts)

by admirabletragedy



Series: Whumptober 2020 [29]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Annabeth is non-binary because I said so, Fic, Gen, Her pronouns are she/they, no.29, reluctant bedrest, whumptober2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:55:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27259786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/admirabletragedy/pseuds/admirabletragedy
Summary: Day 29 • Reluctant BedrestHe's not quite sure how much time passes before Thalia speaks, but he’s been starting to doze off for a while, fighting sleep with blinking eyes and nails digging into his forearm.“Why are you here?” She doesn't sound particularly mad, just lost, and Percy turns his head to look at her, surprised to hear her voice.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase & Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase & Thalia Grace, Thalia Grace & Percy Jackson
Series: Whumptober 2020 [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946944
Comments: 7
Kudos: 27
Collections: Whumptober





	A person who thinks all the time (Has nothing to think about except thoughts)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Toomanyfandoms99](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toomanyfandoms99/gifts), [AlwaysandAlso](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlwaysandAlso/gifts).



> Title is from the song “Overthinker,” by INZO
> 
> • For tmf and alwaysandalso because they're my source of motivation and if not for them encouraging me to not give up on this fic, I'd probably still be watching chris colfer interviews with this sitting in my rough drafts
> 
> • We've reached the last fic of Whumptober — the next two are gifs — and I'll save the sappy post for the 31st but I will say that I had to finish off with my og fandom, I love these kids, and the first fic I ever wrote was for this fandom

Percy has to practically wrestle Annabeth out of the infirmary; she needs to eat and shower, and _y'know_ , go back to being a functioning human being. None of which would happen if she remained glued to the side of Thalia's cot. So, he takes one for the team.

Still, as much as she protests, Annabeth knows just as well as he does that she's going to drop if she doesn't take a break.

Besides, he promised Annabeth he'd watch over Thalia, and he will— Annabeth knows that. So she'd walked away, choosing to trust Percy, which honestly meant _a lot_ considering what had happened not even two years ago. 

_Betrayed by a friend._ Luke's voice as he confessed to stealing the lightning bolt still echoes in his mind. Percy shakes his head — as though pushing out the bad memories — before he steps back into the infirmary.

In the time he spent away from the room, Thalia hadn't moved, still observing him with sharp eyes as he walks the length of the space before sitting down on the cot next to her. They're the only two in the room — even the children of Apollo have vacated the white-walled building — so he doesn't feel bad taking up an extra cot.

Thalia exhales — the sound loud in the otherwise quiet room — and looks away from him, focusing on the ring she's twisting around her finger.

Percy takes a moment to study her.

She's changed back into regular clothes, after having to spend the previous day in a hospital gown, while the Apollo cabin's medics ran enough tests on her to make his sophomore year of high school seem like nothing. 

Now she’s wearing one of Annabeth’s denim jackets — the one with the _she/they_ pin attached to the collar and worn-out sleeves — and it's comically big on her, the sleeves reaching over her wrists and palms.

Thalia’s hair is nearly a carbon copy of Percy's, black, like his, but cut shorter. When she leans forward, he can tell that she has an undercut.

Most notable of all are her eyes; they're big, electric blue, and framed by dark, winged eyeliner. He momentarily considers asking her what brand it is _(What! It survived her time as a tree, okay, it was obviously high quality)_ but decides he better not. 

Instead of starting a conversation — he’s horrible at doing that with regular people, let alone his, as Annabeth said, _‘possible worst enemy’_ — Percy lets his shoes fall to the ground and tugs his hoodie sleeves over his palms, his back flat against the cot _(They really need to invest in actual pillows because if he's gonna go out in the infirmary he better have a damn comfortable headrest as he passes into the beyond)_.

Messing with the strings of his hoodie, Percy absentmindedly stares at the all-too-familiar ceiling above him.

He's not quite sure how much time passes before Thalia speaks, but he’s been starting to doze off for a while, fighting sleep with blinking eyes and nails digging into his arms.

“Why are you here?” She doesn't sound particularly mad, just lost, and Percy turns his head to look at her, surprised by her tone. 

Thalia's staring right at him and Percy can't help but grow self-conscious, shrinking under her gaze. 

Percy turns his head back to the ceiling, “Gotta be a respectable bodyguard.”

He's joking — twisting sarcasm into his words — but Thalia must not pick up on it because a few beats later she's speaking again, her tone dark, “I don't _need_ a bodyguard.”

Percy barely manages to bite back the _“clearly”_ that nearly leaves his mouth. It's probably a good thing, too, because as he looks back at her, he can see actual sparks flying around the silver band of her ring. _Honest to gods sparks._

Ignoring every instinct telling him to leave the infirmary, he turns on his side — fully facing Thalia — and says, “Okay.”

Drawing his hand to his mouth, Percy scratches his lips with the fabric of his hoodie sleeve. It's a good distraction.

“So then why are you here?” Thalia rolls onto her side — mirroring his position — unrelenting in her glaring.

Percy gives a half-shrug, “Because Annabeth needed to go rest and she wouldn't do that without knowing someone was here, in her place.” He pauses, tucking a hand under his head, “And maybe I wanted to get to know you.”

Thalia raises an eyebrow, she's more relaxed than before but Percy can see that her muscles are still tense, as though she's preparing to jump out of the cot, “Get to know me?”

Percy can feel his face grow red at the repeated question, desperately wishing Annabeth would suddenly walk through the door.

Unfortunately, Annabeth doesn't, so he's left to fend for himself, “I've never met another big three kid.”

Thalia eyes him wearily, “Me neither.”

Percy bites the inside of his cheek — a nervous tic — and says, “I'm a son of Poseidon.”

Thalia shoots him an amused look, “Yes, I know, Annabeth mentioned.”

Mortified, Percy doesn't hesitate to ask, “She's talked about me?”

“Yes.”

Percy feels small under the weight of Thalia's gaze, “She's mentioned you a lot, too. Just in case you wanted to know that— she does.”

Thalia tenses and Percy backpedals, “All good things. She said you helped look out for her; that was really cool of you.”

With Thalia’s eyes so tightly shut, it takes longer than it should have for him to notice that she's shaking.

_Should he go over to her? Should he pretend not to notice?_

Percy knows that he wouldn't want a stranger's sympathy if he was in Thalia's position, so he remains on the bed.

With his eyes closed, Percy twists his hoodie's strings with one hand and does his best to ignore how badly his leg is jumping on his opposite knee, as though tapping against the ground. _Thanks, ADHD._

It's not long — _he's ignoring the fact that each second seems to last an hour_ — before he can hear Thalia's breathing even back out, the sound muffled by the sleeves of her borrowed jacket.

Percy waits, letting several beats pass before he blinks open his eyes and focuses on Thalia, who still has her eyes closed.

“I know I should be glad. I am. But…” Thalia hesitates, her nails digging into the palms of her hands, “everything's different.”

She opens her eyes on an exhale, “I feel like I don't know anyone, anymore. This is just so... _new_.”

Percy worries his lip, processing her confession before responding, “I'm not gonna act like I understand what you're going through, I don't, but I know what it feels like to have everything around me change suddenly.” 

Embarrassed at the way his eyes sting at the thought of Luke, Percy blinks the water away rapidly. This is different, _this_ is something that could end well, “People may have changed a lot, but that doesn't mean you can't get to know them again. And Annabeth adores you, you don't have to worry that she's not gonna want to talk to you.”

Thalia stays silent, prompting Percy to ask, “How about we make a deal?”

She meets his eyes and he takes the sight as a sign to keep talking, “If you're confused about something that's changed, ask me about it; I'm still learning some things, but I can try and answer.” Percy takes a breath, “And in exchange, you can teach me how to do that eyeliner.”

Thalia laughs — it's the first time he's heard it — and Percy gives himself a mental pat on the back. 

Nodding, Thalia relaxes into the cot, “Deal.”

Percy holds a hand out — a pinky sticking in her direction — and she links her own pinky finger around it, their hands dangling between the beds.

“Deal,” Percy returns, mirroring the grin that Thalia sends his way.


End file.
